Water dispenser for concrete mixer



Aug. 23, 196@ F. J. sTYEs WATER DISPENSER FOR .coNcEETE MIXER Filed July1o. 1957 WATER DISPENSER FOR CONRETE MIXER Fred J. Styes, G6087 MillerRoad, Swartz Creek, Mich.

Filed July 10, 1957, Ser. No. 676,915

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-272) The present invention relates to an improveddispenser and to the combination of a water dispenser with a concretemixer attachment for a tractor whereby the operator of the tractor canintroduce the desired quantity of water into the drum of the concretemixer in a most accurate and eicient manner. This invention relates to aconcrete mixer attachment of the type disclosed in my prior pendingapplication, Serial Number 667,381, led June 24, 1957.

The aforesaid pending application shows a concrete mixer attachmentmoun-ted on a tractor and wherein hydraulic means are provided formoving the mixing drum up and down, tilting the same, and rotating thedrum about its axis. The concrete mixer attachment is constructed andarranged so that the operator of the tractor can load proper quantitiesof all the ingredients for mixing concrete, exclusive of water, into thedrum. This can be accomplished by the operator without leaving the seatof the tractor.

The aforesaid concrete mixing attachment is also constructed andarranged so that it can be used in conjunction with the water dispenserdescribed hereinafter for adding proper quantities of water into themixing drum, and this operation can be carried out with the operatorremaining on the tractor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser adaptedprimarily but not exclusively for use with a concrete mixer, saiddispenser being constructed and arranged so that it will discharge waterinto the drum of the mixer when said drum is moved against a valveopening mechanism of said dispenser.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispenser ofthe foregoing character Awhich has automatic means for regulating theinow of water into said dispenser.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide adispenser of the foregoing character which is constructed and arrangedso that inflow of water into the dispenser will be prevented while thedispenser discharges to said mixer so that a predetermined quantity ofwater is discharged.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenserof the foregoing character which has means for indicating the quantityof water in said dis penser.

It is still another object of the persent invention to provide a waterdispenser for use with a concrete mixer, said dispenser having lwaterinlet control means which can be adjusted to vary the quantity of watercarried in said dispenser for discharge into said concrete mixer.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingforming a part of this speciiication wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation vof a concrete mixer attachmentoperatively engaging a dispenser embodying one form of the presentinvention;

2,949,942 Patented Aug. 23, 1960 Figure 2 is an enlarged section of thedispenser illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of another dispenser embodying thepresent invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, a more detailed description of theinvention will 'be given. The embodiment of the invention shown inFigures l and 2 will be described first. Only a fragmentary portion ofthe concrete mixer attachment is illustrated, and reference is made tocopending application, Serial Number 667,381, for a more completeshowing.

In brief, the concrete mixer attachment 1li has a mixing drum 1'2 whichis carried on shaft 14 for rotation therewith. The shaft 14 is rotatedby gear 16 which is in mesh with drive gear 18 of the hydraulic motor20. The shaft 14 is journaled in the frame member 22 from which extendsthe rigid arm 24. A transverse shaft 26 carries the frame member 22between the two spaced side plates '28 (only one of which can be seen inFigure l) of the drum carrier 30. A hydraulic piston-andcylinder 32 isoperatively connected between the arm 24 and the carrier 30 for pivotingthe drum about the axis of the horizontally disposed Shaft 26. Thecarrier 30 is supported on the tower 34 for vertical movement byhydraulic means (not shown). Thus, it can be seen that the drum 12 canbe raised and lowered on the tower 34, can be tilted about the axis ofshaft 26, and can be rotated about its own 4axis by operation of motor20.

When the concrete mixer attachment is mounted on a tractor, the operatorcan use the hydraulic system (not shown) for carrying out thesemovements, and as is explained in greater detail in the aforesaidapplication, Serial Number 667,381, the operator can load the drum byproper movement of the tractor and drum directly from piles ofingredients normally used in mixing concrete.

The present invention also allows the operator to move the tractor anddrum to a water dispenser so that a proper amount of water can be addedto the drum 12 for the concrete mixing operation. Such a dispenser isshown at 36 in Figure l.

The dispenser 36 has a receptacle 38 suspended from a support 40 in anysuitable manner, such as by the cable 42. The dispenser 36 has valvemeans 44 at its lower end which is adapted to be engaged by the drum 12,as shown in Figure l, for transferring water from the receptacle 38 tothe drum 12.

Referring to Figure 2, the parts of the dispenser 36 can be seen moreclearly. The receptacle 38 has an outlet 46 and a nozzle 43 extendingtherefrom. A hole low valve member 50 seats in the outlet 46 for closingthe same. An element or sleeve 52 surrounds said nozzle 48 intelescoping relation and has a spider 54 at its lower end. A rod 56 isconnected between said valve member 50 and said spider 54 so thatraising the sleeve 52 will cause lthe valve member 50 to be lifted fromits seat, opening outlet 46.

The sleeve 52 is adapted to `be engaged and lifted by the drum 12. Forthis purpose a ange 58 projects laterally therefrom a suilicientdistance to make it readily engageable by the upper edge of drum 12, asshown in Figure l. When it is desired to discharge the contents ofreceptacle 38 into drum i12, it is only necessary for the tractor 3operator to move the drum 12 yunder receptacle 38, and thereafter raisethe drum 12 suiciently high to cause valve member 50 to be raised fromits seat. The water in receptacle 38 will then discharge through nozzle48 intodrum12. .u

Y The dispenser 36 has a water inlet'duct 60..for reiilling thereceptacle 38. Aconventi'onal float control mechanism 62 is operativelyconnected to the discharge end iof duct 60 to permit filling ofreceptacle 38 up to a predetermined level after which the iloatmechanism will close the duct 60 thereby preventing overflow of thelwater from receptacle 38.

In order to prevent water from owing into receptacle 38 while a measuredquantity is being discharged into the mixing drum 12, a linkage isconnected between valve member 50 Vand the float arm 64. This linkageincludes a telescoping rod 66 and an associated sleeve 68 which areyoperatively connected respectively to the oat arm 64 and the valvemember S0. The rod y66 and sleeve 68 are proportioned so that when thevalve member 50 is lifted, the float arm 64 will be raised to itsuppermost position effecting closing of inlet `duct 60. Also, the floatarm 64 may have a limited hinge connection so that the oat 70 candescend with the water as shown in phantom, even though the opposite endof the arm is held in an elevated position by rod 66 and sleeve 68.

If desired, a flat spring 73 may be operatively positioned between thevalve member 50 and float arm 64, as shown f in Figure 2, to act as ashock absorber when the valve member is lifted by the action of drum 12.Also, if desired, a water level indicating gage 73 may be positionedexternally of receptacle 38 so that the operator can visually determinethe amount of Water discharged into the drum 12. In the presentembodiment, this is accomplished by the glass tubes 74 which are open atopposite ends and are in communication with the inner bottom ofreceptacle 38. Also, indicia 76 may extend adjacent raised, the hollowvalve member 50a Will be raised allowing the Water to discharge throughnozzle 48a into drum 12. The float control means 62a will control thelevel of the Water that enters through duct 60a. If it is desired tovary the setting of the oat control means 62a, this can be accomplishedmerely by releasing the turn screw 80 and sliding the duct 60avertically, thereby raising or lowering the oat control means 62a.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a concrete mixer having means for raising andlowering a rotatable mixing drum with an open top, and a water dispenserfor introducing a desired quantity of Water into said drum, saiddispenser com prising a receptacle having an opening in its bottom andan `outlet nozzle in communication with said opening, a valve memberseated in said opening for closing the same, a water inlet duct fordischarging Water into said receptacle, Water level control means insaid receptacle operatively connected with said duct for controlling theflow of water into said receptacle, a sleeve telescoped over the outerend of said nozzle and having a laterally extending flange on its innerend against which the top edge of said mixing drum can be raised fortelescoping said sleeve further on said nozzle, and a rod operativelyconnected to said sleeve and said valve member for raising said valvemember from its seat when the sleeve is telescoped further onto saidnozzle, whereby water can then flow through said nozzle into said drum.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve member and said waterlevel control means are operatively connected together so that when saidvalve member is raised from its seat no water can enter through saidinlet the tubes to indicate the quantity of liquid being disy.

charged from receptacle 38.

In Figure 3 a modified form of dispenser is shown where the inflow ofwater will not be interrupted when the valve member 50a is lifted by thedrum 12 engaging and lifting the vrod 56a. omitted and the rod 56apasses through two apertured lugs 78 on the wall of receptacle 38a. Whenthe rod 56a is In this embodiment the sleeve 52 is References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 554,923 Fowler Feb. 18, 18961,036,778 Baker Aug. 27, 1912 1,480,405 Long et al. Jan. 8, 19241,628,404 Heuermann May l0, 1927 1,825,039 Aspden Sept. 29, 19312,162,404 Kerr June 13, 1939 2,393,382 Kerr Ian. 22, 1946 2,519,115Costakos Aug. 15, 1950 2,563,930 Hamann et al Aug. 14, 1951

